CWAM Highlights
Colorado-Wyoming Association of Museums Newsletter
Spring 2011 |
|
|
From the Editor
By Meghan McGinnes
I hope everybody's getting as excited about the Annual Meeting as I am! I know that I can't wait to go down to Durango for what is sure to be a fun and informative few days. You should all be getting your registration packets shortly, if you don't have them already, so be sure to sign up early to take advantage of CWAM's early-bird discount. I look forward to seeing those of you that I already know, and meeting those of you I don't, at the Historic Strater Hotel from April 14-17.
Meghan |
|
CHAIR REPORT
by Bob Hartzell
What a superb board meeting we had on Friday and Saturday, February 18 and 19, 2011. We had a voting quorum on Friday and knew that we would not have one on Saturday. We took care of the voting business on Friday and had a very rich discussion on Saturday. As a matter of fact, both days were filled with rich and pertinent discussions. Thank you all for being so open with your wonderful ideas and additions to our discourse. I am truly honored to serve the CWAM along with such a fine group of museum and museum-related professionals.
Museums & Tourism: Stopping Visitors In Their Tracks is the title of our annual meeting this year. We will be gathering in the delightful town of Durango, Colorado, from April 14 - 17, 2011. Durango has promised to "roll out the rails" for the CWAM conference. Looking forward to seeing you there!
In the meantime, if you are interested in contributing your services to an organization that is truly making a difference in Colorado and Wyoming, consider running for a CWAM board position. Jenny Hankinson, current Nominations Chair, would be interested in hearing from you. She may be reached at the Littleton Historical Museum, 6028 S. Gallup Street, Littleton CO 80120 or 303-795-3997 or jhankinson@littletongov.org.
Did you know that the heaviest knight at King Arthur's round table was Sir Cumference. He acquired his size from too much pi. |
|
CWAM 2011 Annual Meeting
by Jan Postler
NEXT STOP: DURANGO!
Corrected Strater Hotel phone number: 800-247-4431 or 970-247-4431
Call now and make your reservations for the CWAM conference April 14-17, 2011.
Weather & What to Wear
At 6500 feet in elevation, Durango averages 63° highs and 30° lows in April. But as you know, weather in the Rockies is never average! Dress up or down, however you are comfortable, but business casual will do. Throw in a pair of jeans and layers that will accommodate anything from warm, sunny days to a brief bit of snow. Pack something unique for the Birds of a Feather Cocktail Hour!
The Latest Durango and Four Corners News
Two new museums have made the headlines as they prepare to open. Here's what is being said about them:
Opening in February as this newsletter "goes to press," the Durango Discovery Museum is a unique hands-on museum where visitors can explore science and energy topics of all kinds. Housed in the country's oldest surviving coal-fired, steam-generated AC power plant, the museum's interactive discovery and science exhibits promise to "spark curiosity, ignite imagination, and power exploration." According to executive director Claire Bradshaw, the museum is scheduled to open with more than a dozen major exhibits in the Southern Ute Indian Tribe Energy Gallery, including the eTree, Good Time Clock, Animation Station, Magic Planet, and Mensch Spark Shop. Add to that a Powerhouse Theater, "mad scientist" exhibitions, and Durango Discovery Kids, a toddler-specific play zone. The Museum includes a river-facing public plaza, an outdoor stage, workshops, event space, and offices.
You'll see it yourself during the opening progressive dinner. It'll be a blast!
The Southern Ute Cultural Center and Museum, scheduled to open in June, will give CWAM participants a preview during a post-conference, behind-the-scenes tour on Sunday morning April 17:
Designed in consultation with members of the Southern Ute tribe by architect Johnpaul Jones, who was overall design consultant to the Smithsonian's National Museum of the American Indian, the new 52,000-square-foot facility will offer visitors an authentic cultural experience and rare insight into the living history of Colorado's longest continuous residents. The building's iconic shape has been inspired by the Southern Utes' recognition of the circle of life that connects past, present and future generations. Designed as a multi-sensory experience, the dynamic exhibit spaces combine rare artifacts of Ute and other Native American people through texts, photographs and high-quality, flat-screen DVD presentations. Its setting features a formal meadow for gathering with an outdoor kitchen, meandering stream, and native trees and grasses that reflect the Tribe's intimate, respectful relationship with the land throughout time.
Post-conference Tours Update
There's something for everyone on Sunday. Plan to stay the extra day, or catch a quick tour on your way out of town:
Back Country Day Hike into Canyons of the Ancients National Monument
7 a.m. - 4 p.m. including roundtrip self-drive from Durango; moderate 5-mile hike
San Juan County Solutions (Aztec Museum, Farmington Museum and Salmon Ruins, NM)
8:30 a.m. - 3:30 p.m. round trip transportation provided from Durango; details available
Museums of the San Juan Skyway (detailed itinerary available)
Visit open houses at any or all, on your own. Closest museums will open at 9, and the farthest will stay open until 4:
Anasazi Heritage Center, Dolores
Telluride Historical Museum, Telluride
Ridgway Railroad Museum, Ridgway
San Juan County Historical Society, Silverton
Ouray County Historical Museum, Ouray
The Home for History: Tour of the New Animas Museum Collections Facility
9:00 - 11:00 a.m. (open house and follow-up to Saturday session)
Preview the New Southern Ute Museum, Ignacio (20 minutes from Durango)
9:00 a.m. - 11:00 a.m. open house and behind-the-scenes tour with Terri Schindel
Ride the Rails: The Cascade Winter Train
9:45 a.m. - 3:00 p.m.
Fee: $59 including lunch; travel with your CWAM colleagues and Railroad Museum director
Center of Southwest Studies: Open House and Tours
10:00 a.m. - 12:00
Includes behind the scene areas with curator Jeanne Brako
Behind the Scenes at Mesa Verde
1:00 - 3:00 p.m. $10/vehicle park entrance fee
A unique tour of Mesa Verde's historic district including interiors, and CCC camp site, allowing time in the morning for exploring ancestral Puebloan sites on your own.
All the World's a Stage...
...and all the men and women merely players, to quote Shakespeare. Start dreaming up your act for the Little or No Talent Show, which will follow the little CWAM Melodrama after the Saturday night banquet. Even if you've got talent, your act might be accepted!
 | | On stage at The Hank |
Epilogue
The Durango Chapter of the Audubon Society indeed confirmed one rare bird sighting during the Christmas Bird Count. A single pink flamingo was observed frequenting ponds, marshes and restored wetlands in the Animas and San Juan River drainages. Coincidentally, the Durango Police Department is investigating a most unusual case of identity theft, reported by victim Pinky Nolastname, currently of Laramie, Wyoming. A tall, willowy figure resembling a pink flamingo has apparently cashed checks made out to Pinky and used the money to reserve a room at the Strater Hotel and purchase a ticket on the D&SNG Railroad for the CWAM special car on Sunday, April 17.
All Aboard! For more information contact Local Arrangements Chair Jan Postler at the Animas Museum: 970-259-2402, janpostler@animasmuseum.org .
|
2011 Annual Meeting Update from the Program Committee
by Nathan Doerr
Keynote Speaker Explores the Role of Tourism
CWAM is pleased to welcome Judy Walden as the Keynote Speaker for the 2011 Annual Meeting. Walden is President of the Walden Mills Group where she works to help local communities across the United States strengthen the economic impacts of heritage tourism. She works with museums, historic sites and historic downtowns to keep abreast of ever-changing travel trends.
Currently she is working with culinary tourism in Washington State (a food paradise), with bird watching in the Kansas wetlands (internationally important for migrating birds), and in developing film shorts to be shown in theaters in Southeast Colorado. Her signature workshop is entitled "How to Make Money in Tourism."
Walden served as Director of Marketing for the Colorado Travel and Tourism Authority from 1998-2000, coordinating sales and production of Colorado's Official State Travel Guide and www.colorado.com. For eight years she owned and inbound tour company which brought Asian travelers to the American Southwest, then worked with ministries of tourism in Asia and the South Pacific in ecotourism development. Her interest in Asia continues. In November she spoke at the China National Tourism Conference in Shanghai on Competing for the International Tourism Dollar.
Make plans to join Walden as she explores what dynamics are driving today's travel trends, and identifies keys that will help you creat satisfying experience for travelers who walk through the front door of your museum.
|
|
2011 Scholarship Application
This year the Colorado-Wyoming Association of Museums will award at least ten scholarships to support the attendance of the 2011 Annual Conference of the Colorado-Wyoming Association of Museums (CWAM) in Durango, CO April 14-17, 2011. Each scholarship recipient will receive a conference registration fee waiver plus a cash grant of $200 to help offset expenses. The deadline for applications is March 4, 2011. Award recipients will be notified by March 18, 2011.
Applicants are required to submit a letter of recommendation from their institution's director, board member, or other supervising authority (such as a faculty advisor) and a brief essay explaining how they will benefit from attending the meeting and how they will apply what they learn at the meeting at their institution.
Scholarship recipients are required to attend the Opening Session of the annual conference, as well as the Business Lunch, during which they will be recognized. Following the conference, scholarship recipients are also required to write a short article for the CWAM newsletter covering a session they attend at the annual meeting. Preference will be given to applicants who have not previously received a scholarship.
Details and the scholarship application form can be found below or at www.coloradomuseums.org or www.wyomingmuseums.org orin the Annual Meeting Packet.
For questions please contact Fay Bisbee at fbisbee@wildlifeart.org.
CWAM 2011 ANNUAL CONFERENCE SCHOLARSHIP APPLICATION
Durango, CO, April 14-17, 2011
APPLICATION DEADLINE: FRIDAY, MARCH 4, 2011
AWARD NOTIFICATION: MARCH 18, 2011
Scholarships to attend the 2011 Annual Conference of the Colorado-Wyoming Association of Museums (CWAM) are being made available by both CWAM and the Association of Northern Front Range Museums (ANFRM). By submission of your application, you agree that representatives of CWAM and ANFRM may discuss your application with one another in order to achieve the objective of providing scholarships to as many applicants as possible.
Scholarship recipients are required to attend the Opening Session of the annual conference, as well as the Business Lunch, during which they will be recognized. Following the conference, scholarship recipients are also required to write a short article for the CWAM newsletter covering a session they attend at the annual meeting. Preference will be given to applicants who have not previously received a scholarship.
INCLUDE THE FOLLOWING IN YOUR APPLICATION: (Incomplete applications will not be considered)
· Your contact information: name, address, email, telephone, and institution, if applicable.
· Letter of recommendation from your institution's director, a board member, or other supervising authority.
· Completed application.
· Short essay.
ANSWER THE FOLLOWING QUESTIONS:
1. What is your CWAM membership status? You or your institution must be a current member of CWAM to be eligible for the Professional, Intern, or Volunteer scholarships. If not a current member, you are eligible to apply for a New Member scholarship.
_____Institutional _____Individual _____Student/Volunteer _____Non-Member (includes out of CO & WY)
2. Has your institution previously sent a representative to a CWAM annual meeting?
_______ Yes _______ No _______ N/A
3. Have you previously received a CWAM Annual Meeting scholarship? ______ Yes ______ No
4. SHORT ESSAY: How will you benefit personally from attending this meeting? How will your institution benefit when you return? If you are not currently at an institution, please tell how the scholarship will benefit your professional development. Provide specific examples or goals. Please use a separate sheet to answer these questions, and limit your essay to one page.
_____________________________________________ ____________________________________________
Applicant Signature Date
MAIL, EMAIL, OR FAX APPLICATIONS TO:
Fay Bisbee; CWAM Scholarship Chair, Phone: 307-732-5420
Mail: National Museum of Wildlife Art, PO Box 6825, Jackson, WY 83001
Fax: 307-733-5787 - you MUST include cover sheet; Email: fbisbee@wildlifeart.org
|
2011 CWAM Annual Meeting Featured Vendors
Make sure to stop by CWAM's vendor hall to check out these and other vendors.
Books West, Boulder, CO
Certified Business Services, Inc., Centennial, CO
Collections Research for Museums, Denver, CO
Gaylord Bros., Syracuse, NY
Historic Preservation Services, Telluride, CO
Improve Group, Denver, CO
The Mountain-Plains Museums Association
New Mexico Virtualization, LLC, Los Alamos, NM
Western Center for the Conservation of Fine Art, Denver, CO
|
|
2011 CWAM BOARD ELECTIONS
by Jenny Hankinson
The Nominations Committee is proud to present a wonderful slate of nominees running for the 2011 CWAM Board election. The open seats are: TWO Colorado Director-At-Large seats, Colorado State Representative, and ONE Wyoming Director-At-Large. Our Colorado slate is so full - no one is running unopposed! Way to go Colorado! We've a little problem, though, in that no-one has stepped up from Wyoming to run for the Director-At-Large (yikes). So, c'mon Wyoming - you need to step it up and represent your great state!
Here's the slate as it stands:
Colorado Director-At-Large (TWO seats open):
- Cindy Hines
- Isabel Tovar
- Shannon McBratney
- Cecily North
Colorado State Representative (ONE seat open):
- Rebecca Hunt
- Carrie Knight
Wyoming Director-At-Large (ONE seat open):
- _____________
- _____________
The election will take place during the Business Meeting on Friday, April 15th, 2011, in Durango, Colorado. Good luck to all our nominees! And Wyoming - well we need someone to run! If you are interested or know someone who might be, please contact me!
Nominee Bios
Cindy Hines--Colorado Director-At-Large
Cindy has had the wonderful fortune to work as the Director of the Frontier Historical Society and Museum in Glenwood Springs, Colorado for nearly twelve years. After stumbling into her work in the museum field, it has become her dream job and she can't imagine doing anything else. She is a founding member of the Four Rivers Historic Alliance, which includes historical societies and museums from Aspen to Marble to Eagle to Parachute, Colorado. In addition to directing the museum, Cindy is actively involved in Northwest Colorado Cultural Heritage Tourism through the Colorado Tourism Office and has served on the Historic Preservation Commission in Glenwood Springs as well as Glenwood's Tourism Board. She will bring to the CWAM board a committed attitude to promote the organization throughout the museum industry in Colorado and Wyoming and a passion for culture and heritage.
|
| | Cindy Hines |
Isabel Tovar--Colorado Director-At-Large
My name is Isabel Tovar and I have had the pleasure of being the Anthropology Collections Manager and NAGPRA Coordinator at the Denver Museum of Nature & Science (DMNS) since 2006. Prior to my current position at DMNS, I was the Collections Manager for Native American Ethnographic and East Asian Anthropology Collections at the Field Museum in Chicago. I approach my work with the philosophy of maintaining respectful, transparent, and proper collections care - most importantly making museum collections more accessible to the public and the communities who originally created the objects. I bring a broad spectrum of museum experience to the CWAM table: collections management, intern and volunteer coordination, outreach, grant writing and administration, as well as tribal consultation and repatriation. I have also interned and volunteered at various institutions prior to my experiences at The Field and DMNS and I recognize that regardless of size, we are all faced with similar yet sometimes dramatically different challenges. I look forward to exploring mutually attainable and creative solutions to these issues with my colleagues in the Rocky Mountain Region so we can continue to evolve a more dynamic and ethical museum discipline.
 | | Isabel Tovar |
Shannon McBratney--Colorado Director-At-Large
Shannon is a DU grad (MA, Museum Studies) and has over six years of museum experience. She is currently working at the Denver Art Museum in the Collections Management Department where she is cataloging the museum's graphic design archive. Previous museum experience comes from such Colorado institutions as the Colorado History Museum and the University of Colorado-Boulder Museum of Natural History. Her experience with a variety of museum institutions makes Shannon a well rounded professional with a fresh and interesting perspective. By joining the CWAM board she hopes to represent the newest generation of museum professionals while helping this organization achieve its goals.
|
| | Shannon McBratney |
Cecily North--Colorado Director-At-Large
Cecily North is the Assistant Archivist for the Douglas County History Research Center. She is currently working towards her MALS in Museum Studies with the University of Oklahoma. She also serves as the Electronic Resources Manager for the Society of Rocky Mountain Archivists. Cecily is passionate about archives, museums, historic preservation and social media. She is also a HUGE fan of the CWAM mascot, Pinky.
|
| | Cecily North |
Rebecca Hunt, Ph.D.--Colorado State Representative
Who am I?
I am a historian who interprets the history of America and the West within the context of community institutions, such as colleges and museums, which have a strong mandate to their audiences. My specific areas of concentration include women's history, social history, community history, decorative arts, period clothing, and textiles. I work best in a team setting, sharing ideas and responsibility with other professionals. I teach in both the public and traditional history programs but my public history specialty is museum studies because I feel those of us who are in the academic world need to be in connection with the real museum world. I also feel that this will help strengthen liaisons between museums and the institutions that train the next generation of museum personnel. We can do a better job at our end if we are in touch with the real needs of museums.
I have been involved with CWAM, off and on since the 1970s and am committed to its mission and programs.
I am just completing a book on the history of Natrona County, Wyoming for the Fort Caspar Museum.
|
| | Rebecca Hunt, Ph.D. |
Carrie Knight--Colorado State Representative
I currently serve as the Art & Heritage Manager for the Town of Windsor. Prior to advancement, I served as the town's museum curator. My academic training includes a BA in Art History from Wells College and an MA in History from the State University of New York-Oswego. I have worked within the museum field for over 12 years serving in a variety of capacities from docent to curator, and currently as manager. This breadth of experience has given me a valuable perspective on the many responsibilities and opportunities museums face today. My hometown is a little hard to nail down. I grew up a Navy Brat and have lived all over the U.S. I am privileged to call Colorado my current home, Fort Collins to be exact. I am blessed with a great husband and two beautiful children. My passion is traveling, reading great books, and learning new things! I would love an opportunity to learn about the challenges and accomplishments of Colorado-Wyoming museums, sharing this information with our members across both States.
 | | Carrie Knight |
|
 |
| Need help with your collections management? Are your collections not as well documented as you would like? Are there gaps in your collection catalog? Are there items that are unidentified, identified only as "found in collection," only partially cataloged? We offer assistance to inventory, catalog or complete the background research on your collections; help compiling catalog and archival records associated with your collections; training classes in cataloging/collections management. Free initial consultation. For more information and a free brochure contact: Collections Research for Museums, 4830 E Kansas Dr, Denver, CO 80246; 303-757-7962; Toll free: 1-877-757-7962 or visit us on the web at http://museumcollectionmgmt.com. |
2010 CWAM Grant Recipient
CU Museum of Natural History-Anthropology Section
By Christina Cain, Anthropology Collections Manager, 303-492-2198, christina.cain@colorado.edu
In 2010 the University of Colorado Museum of Natural History's Anthropology Section received a CWAM grant for $750. The project included re-housing 100 Navajo textiles and digitizing the analysis documentation for the entire textile collection of the CUMNH. CWAM's generosity allowed the museum to purchase a document scanner and archival materials for this project.
The first part of the project was to commence digitization of all of the textile analysis documentation. The scanner directly saved documents onto our server as high-resolution TIFFs to be stored with other archives that would be digitized in the future. Collections Assistant and Museum and Field Studies graduate student Audrey Gayou completed this portion of the project and then purchased archival materials in which to store the fading documentation. These papers will now be archived in long-term storage and the digitized versions will be used by researchers and museum staff on a regular basis helping to preserve the original documents. Information from the analysis sheets was entered into the museum's Re:discovery database for use in report writing and for collections management purposes.
The second phase of the project was to use the remainder of the funding to re-house rolled textiles that were currently on acidic tubes, wrapped in non-archival plastic. Many of these plastics were beginning to deteriorate and the majority of the textiles were not tied up in such a fashion as to prevent them from hanging down and coming into contact with hanging brackets and other textiles. The most important textiles were selected and were re-rolled on archival tubes, lined with unbuffered acid-free tissue, and covered in unbleached cotton muslin. They were then tied appropriately with sheet ties and twill tape. Finally, the textiles were tagged with their object information and will be tagged with photos of the object in the next phase of the project.
The grant from CWAM has been a real impetus to get this collection stored properly. Since the end of the CWAM portion of the project, we have made it a priority to continue to find funding for supplies and have a dedicated volunteer who is continuing with the re-rolling of textiles. This project has had a profound effect on the long term preservation of this collection and its associated documentation. To assist others with their own re-housing projects, the CU Museum has put together a "how-to" document for the CWAM website. You will soon be able to print off your own guide to re-housing textiles!
|
COLORADO - WYOMING ASSOCIATION OF MUSEUMS WELCOMES DISNEY INSTITUTE PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT TO COLORADO SPRINGS
Full-day program explores secrets of great customer service
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. -(Jan. 13, 2011) - Disney Institute is bringing its renowned professional development program, "Disney's Approach to Quality Service," to Colorado Springs on March 18, 2011. Sponsored locally by University of Colorado at Colorado Springs, the full-day event will demonstrate how anticipating and reacting to customers'needs, wants, and emotions is an integral aspect of delivering quality service and achieving business results.
The program will be held at University of Colorado at Colorado Springs University Center and will give participants new ideas for creating a service-driven organization that delivers excellence.
"Delivering great service is critical for companies looking to survive and prosper," said Jeff James, vice president for Disney Institute. "This program is a rare opportunity for Colorado business professionals to go inside the Disney organization and learn innovative, easy-to-implement best practices that can give them the competitive edge."
The full-day "Disney's Approach to Quality Service" program will give participants an 'insider's look' at business practices that have helped Disney become respected for product and service quality. In 2010, Fortune magazine recognized Disney as the world's most admired company for quality. Participants will learn how to exceed customer expectations using a well-defined service infrastructure, ongoing research and service standards.
"In an era where everyone is competing for business and market share, excellent customer service isn't a luxury, it's a necessity," James said. "This program is made for organizations - large and small - that are looking to create a service experience that exceeds customer expectations and drives repeat business."
Program registration is $395 per person and includes all course materials plus catered breakfast, breaks, and lunch. Group discounts are available.
For more information and to register for "Disney's Approach to Quality Service"program, call 877-544-2384 ext. 1 or visit www.ColoradoSpringsMouse.com .
About Disney Institute
One of the most recognized names in professional development,Disney Institute travels the world offering engaging seminars, workshops and presentations, as well as fully customized programming. Immersive learning experiences are also offered at Disney destinations in the Americas, Europe and Asia, enabling participants to go behind the scenes and see firsthand how business theory drives operational excellence. The Disney Institute client roster includes Fortune 500 companies as well as a wide range of small businesses, non-profits and government agencies. To learn more about Disney Institute, please visit www.disneyinstitute.com, www.facebook.com/disneyinstitute or follow at www.twitter.com/disneyinstitute. |
|
|
Dates to Know!
March 4-CWAM Annual Meeting Scholarship Deadline
March 31-Early-Bird Registration for CWAM Annual Meeting
April 14-17-CWAM Annual Meeting, Durango, CO
|
Upcoming Workshops/Seminars
Are you a staff or volunteer at a historic site? Do you need help understanding the unique needs of these historic jewels? Do you need inspiration to liven up your tours? Then plan now to attend to Historic House Museum Issues and Operations on March 24-25 in Denver, CO. Take advantage of this great opportunity to learn from leaders in the field with minimal travel costs. During lively group discussions and activities, you will explore management, collection, and interpretation issues and become familiar with interpretive themes, storylines, and plans. You will also take part in an interpretive exercise focused on designing more exciting house tours. Other topics covered in the workshop include marketing, volunteers, earned income, membership programs, and care of buildings and landscapes. You will also be encouraged to work on an important issue or problem specific to your institution during the workshop and receive instant feedback from the faculty and fellow historic house professionals. Visit the AASLH website http://www.aaslh.org/hhissues.htm for more information or contact Bethany Hawkins at 615-320-3203 or hawkins@aaslh.org
The CWAM workshop committee is looking for potential topics and locations to hold full and half day workshops for 2010-11. If you have an idea for a workshop or are interested in presenting or hosting, please contact Beverly Perkins (WY) at beverlyp@bbhc.org or Kerri Atter (CO) at kerri@atterinc.com
|
Environmental Monitoring Kit (EMK)
The EMK can be borrowed by any CWAM member museum for the cost of shipping. The EMK is a small hand held Environmental Monitoring Kit that quickly measures temp, relative humidity and light. The data are downloadable onto your computer from the machine. And... it comes with instructions!
Colorado museums, please contact Kat Neilson at 719-486-1229 or katneilson12@gmail.com.
Wyoming museums, please contact JP Cavigelli at 307-268-2447 or jpcavigelli@caspercollege.edu. |
Benefits of MPMA Membership
by Cathy Osterman
Join MPMA now and enjoy a year's worth of benefits! MPMA is the 10 state regional museum association of which CWAM is a part. Becoming involved in the museum community on a regional basis, not just a state basis, gives you access to more - more services, more professionals, more opportunities to learn.
One of the best perks to becoming a member of MPMA is the email newsletter that comes out a couple of times each month. These news alerts contain valuable information on regional happenings, conferences, workshops, and webinars. Museums can use the email newsletter to advertise upcoming openings and broadcast their successes to the entire region. Additionally, regional job announcements are highlighted for those who are looking for career advancement or want to relocate to a different state.
Like CWAM, MPMA has archival supplies discounted for institutional members. The savings can be immense, and in this economy, every museum needs to take advantage of what savings they can. In addition to archival supplies, MPMA is considering expanding their discounts into other areas. Board members recently met to discuss the possibility of acquiring discounted pricing for office supplies or even common cleaning supplies. MPMA is working to get you what you need for less!
Finally, MPMA hosts an annual conference each year that attracts museum professionals and vendors from the ten state region. Professionals can learn from other professionals and the conference gives members an opportunity to meet a variety of others who share similar experiences throughout the region. Networking is key and there are plenty of opportunities for it throughout the conference This year's conference is October 17 - 22 in Helena, Montana and your MPMA membership allows you a discount for conference registration. Don't wait until October, though. With all of these benefits to membership, you cannot afford not to become a member today! |
|
Dear Pinky,
I wonder if you could tell me what CWAM EMK stands for. I don't think it is a word as I have tried to pronounce it several ways and none work (unless it is "duck talk" for something!). I am from a small museum with limited resources and do not want to buy one, whatever it is. I am a new member to your organization and read about it in your Newsletter. I hope you don't think this is a stupid question.
Dumbfounded in Dubois
Dear Dumbfounded,
In theory there is no such thing as a stupid question, only stupid people, at least that is what my mother used to say. Let's start at the beginning. As I hope you know, CWAM stands for Colorado-Wyoming Association of Museums and yes, it is actually a word. Just Goggle it and there it is. It apparently comes from ancient Hindi and means roughly "excellent", or to use my spelling, "eggcellent". It can be used as a noun, a verb, an eggspletive, or as an adjective.
EMK stands for Environmental Monitoring Kit. It is the short form of EMK-PATITUIE. This stands for "Environmental Monitoring Kit- Plus All the Instructions to Use It Easily". We had to shorten it to make it more sexy. It is a kit of tools and gadgets that a museum can use to check things like light levels, ultraviolet radiation, relative humidity, and temperature. The equipment would be very expensiveif you had to pay for it, but any institutional member can borrow it for about a month and only having to pay for shipping. There is one kit in each in Colorado and one in Wyoming for use in that state. All you have to do is look up your state's EMK keeper in the CWAM Newsletter and contact them to schedule one to borrow for your museum.
Now, why should your tiny museum with no resources use one? That is easy to answer. By monitoring your environment, you can learn what works and what does not. For example, by knowing the temperature and relative humidity, you can tell which part of your museum would be suitable for archival storage and which would be better for something else. You could check to see if the film on your windows or fluorescent lights is the right kind and still working. My favorite is checking to see how bright your lights are on exhibition or in storage. Having correct data can be useful when writing grants. Even with limited resources, you can make a number of improvements that could save your collections. And remember "PATITUIE" (which sounds like a French vegetable side dish). The kit comes with easy to follow instructions so anyone can use it.
Check it out! I use one every year to make sure my nest is just right- not too hot, not too damp, and not too bright.
Pinky
|
|
|
Do you want to see your advertisement here? If so, all you need to do is become a corporate member of CWAM! For the low price of only $50 you can enjoy all these benefits:
-
Discounts on annual meeting booth rental fees -
Discounts on preprinted membership mailing lists -
Free listing on CWAM website -
Ability to advertise in CWAM's quarterly newsletter, Highlights ($25/ad per issue; 10% discount if ads are purchased for a full year - $90 for 4 ads)
|
|
Membership Report
By Brooke Rohde
As of February 2011 Student/Volunteer 29 Individual 162 Institutional 169 Corporate 17 Total Members 377
Memberships by State Colorado Wyoming Other States Student/Volunteer 22 5 2 Individual 105 48 9 Institutional 121 43 5 Corporate 13 0 4 Total Members 261 96 20
You can now renew your memberships online at either
|
 |
|
Announcements/Job Openings
Civility Matters! $5000 Grants Now Available
The Wyoming Humanities Council seeks public humanities projects with innovative approaches to the topic of civility, especially those focusing on creative formats, new or underserved audiences including youth, and community partnerships. Application information is available on the council's website at www.uwyo.edu/humanities.
Wyoming's Smithsonian Key Ingredients Tour
The Wyoming Humanities Council is developing programs that lead up to the 2012-13 tour of Key Ingredients: America by Food. Book discussion and film discussion series, speakers bureau presentations, a bus tour to Salt Lake City learn about Polynesian contributions to Utah's culture, and a cookbook are in the works to support the traveling exhibit and allow all of Wyoming to join in the fun.
Host sites for the exhibit are: Sweetwater County Museum in Green River, October 2012; Jackson Hole Historical Society and Museum, December 2012; Paul Smith Children's Village in Cheyenne, 2013; Sheridan County Fulmer Public Library, 2013; Carbon County Museum in Rawlins, 2013; Pioneer Museum in Douglas, 2013; and Heart Mountain Interpretive Learning Center, Powell, 2013.
Hiwan Homestead Museum is looking for a Discovery Days Coordinator. Discovery Days is a hands-on summer program aimed at grades K-2. It runs 3 days a week for 3 weeks in June. Additional design and organization time is necessary. A stipend of $2,200 is paid upon the successful completion of the program. The ideal candidate will have teaching experience, have in-depth knowledge of Colorado history and be very organized. Contact Andy Spencer at 720-497-7654 or aspencer@jeffco.us for further information.
Maria Sanchez-Tucker has been promoted to the Manager of Special Collections and Museum Services Department at the Pueblo City-County Library District. She will manage both the library Special Collections and the InfoZone News Museum.
The Longmont Museum & Cultural Center announced today that Wesley Jessup has been hired as its new Museum Director, effective March 1, 2011. The hire completes a national search to replace former director Martha Clevenger, who passed away in September after a long illness. A committee of staff and board members, led by Longmont Community Services Director Karen Roney, made the selection based on the depth of Jessup's museum experience and the energy that he brings to the position.
Jessup is a museum professional who has worked in different management capacities for over 15 years, beginning as a manager of international programs at the Guggenheim Museum in New York City. His experience in New York led him to other opportunities, including the Pasadena Museum of California Art, where he served for seven years as the founding director. He is currently the project director for a cultural center being developed in Alaska, the Beringia Center of Culture and Science. |
Events and Exhibits
Please contact each individual museum for more information about events and exhibits; some may have registration requirements or fees.
Buffalo Bill Historical Center
307-587-4771
April 15-Aug. 7-"Yellowstone to Yukon: Freedom to Roam" photo exhibit
April 29-Oct. 2-"Arapaho Journeys: Photographs and Stories from the Wind River Reservation"
June 3-Oct. 2-"Dressed Just Right: An Evolution of Western Style from Function to Flamboyance"
Cripple Creek District Museum
719-689-2634
Ongoing-Knife Making Classes with Professor David M. H. Smith
March 20-April 3-Museum open for Spring Break
www.fortcasparwyoming.com
307-235-8462
April 6-May 25-Traveling Exhibit (NEH on the Road) "Farm Life: A Century of Change for Farm Families and Their Neighbors"
Golden History Museum
www.GoldenHistoryMuseums.org
303-278-3557
Indefinite-"Golden in Focus: Historic Photo Show and Sale" Hiwan Homestead Museum
720-497-7650
Through March 27-"Miss Julia's Dolls: Selections from the Collection"
April 12- Nov. 20-"Fateful Lightning: Colorado in the Civil War, 1861-1865"
Rocky Mountain Quilt Museum
303-277-0377
Jan. 31-April 30-"Over Here: Quilts that Saw the U.S. Through World War II"
Feb. 4-Opening Reception for "Over Here"
Steamboat Art Museum
970-870-1755
Through April 10-"Jim Norton Western Paintings"
May 27-Oct. 16-"Scott Christensen Landscape Paintings"
June 3-Public Reception for "Scott Christensen Landscape Paintings"
June 4-Artist Demonstration
June 4-Dinner at the Museum
University of Wyoming Art Museum
www.uwyo.edu/artmuseum
307-766-6622
Through March 19-UW Art Department Faculty Exhibition
Through April 16-"Richard Barnes: Animal Logic"
Through Aug. 6-"Etsuko Ichikawa: NACHI" - between the eternal and the ephemeral
Through August 27-"The Dorothy and Herbert Vogel Collection: Fifty Works for Fifty States"
Through Dec. 23, 2012-"American Regionalism: Selections from the Art Museum Collection"
Ongoing-"Sculpture: A Wyoming Invitational"
Western Museum of Mining and Industry
www.wmmi.org
719-488-0880
March-March Mining Movie Madness, Wednesdays
March-Senior Mondays
March 12-Family Exploration Day
March 25-Spring Break with the Burros
April 7-Heritage Lecture, Political Nature of Energy with Robert E. Ebel
April 16-Keep What You Find Gold and Gemstone Panning
May 25-Picnic-n-Planes!
The Wildlife Experience
www.thewildlifeexperience.org
720-488-3386
March 30-Apr. 1-Spring Camps Wyoming State Museum Through March 31-"African American Life in Wyoming" photo exhibit May-June-"Construyendo Latinidad: The Hispanic Mexican Influence in Wyoming, 17th-21st Century" photo exhibit -Spring Camps
|
|
2010-2011 CWAM Board
Jenny Hankinson, Nominations Chair Sarah Baie, CO State Rep Littleton Museum MCA Denver 6028 S. Gallup Street 1485 Delgany Littleton, CO 80120 Denver, CO 80202 Phone: 303-795-3997 or 3950 Phone: 303-295-7885 Fax: 303-730-9818 Fort Caspar Museum CU Museum of Natural History 4001 Fort Caspar Road UCB 218 Casper, WY 82604 Boulder, Colorado 80309 Phone: 307-235-8462 Phone: 303-492-2198 Fax: 307-235-8464 Fax: 303-492-4195 mbahe@cityofcasperwy.com Christina.Cain@Colorado.EDU Maria Tucker, Grants Chair Bob Hartzell, Chair , Pueblo City-County Library National Mining Hall of Fame and Museum 100 E. Abriendo Avenue P.O. Box 981 Pueblo, CO 81004 Leadville, CO 80461 Phone: 719-553-0205 ext. 205 Phone: 719-486-1229 Fax: 719-553-0329 Fax: 719-486-3927 Laura Douglas, Conn. to Coll. Liaison Cathy Osterman, WY State Rep Education a la Carte Historic Governors' Mansion 3236 Newton Street 300 E. 21st Street Denver, Colorado 80211 Cheyenne, WY 82001 Phone: 303-594-7767 Phone: 307-777-7878 Fax: 303-458-7583 cathy.osterman@hotmail.com educationalacarte@yahoo.com Erik Mason, Historian/Archivist Juti Winchester, Prof. Dev. Team Leader Longmont Museum & Cultural Center Northwest College 400 Quail Road Longmont, CO 80501 Phone: 307-587-6437 Phone: 303-651-8969 bellsonme@yahoo.com erik.mason@ci.longmont.co.us Erica Garcia Lloyd Tina Hill, Wyoming Legislative Chair Programs/Services Team Leader Wyoming Frontier Prison Colorado Ski and Snowboard Museum 500 West Walnut Street 231 South Frontage Road Rawlins, WY 82301 Vail, CO 81657 Phone: 307-324-4422 Phone: 970-476-1876 Fax: 307-328-4004 wfp@tribcsp.comeglloyd@skimuseum.net Beverly Perkins, Workshop Co-Chair (WY), Andine Hennig, Publications Chair, Website Chair WY Connecting to Collections Institute for Plastination Buffalo Bill Historical Center P.O. Box 24694 720 Sheridan Avenue Denver, CO 80224 Cody, WY 82414 Phone: 720-496-4013 Phone: 307-578-4029 Fax: 866-281-9514 beverlyp@bbhc.org tck.andine@gmail.com
Brooke Rohde, Membership Chair Carl Patterson, M.A.S.T University of Denver, Anthropology Denver Art Museum 2000 E. Asbury, Sturm 146 100 W. 14th Ave. Pkwy. Denver, CO 80208 Denver, CO 80204 Phone: 303-871-2543 Phone: 720-865-5029 JP Cavigelli, Wyoming EMK Andrea Miller, Vice Chair, CO Legislative Chair Tate Museum, Casper College Lakewood's Heritage Center 125 College Drive 801 S. Yarrow Street Casper, Wyoming 82601 Lakewood, CO 80226 Phone: 307-268-2447 Phone: 303-987-7853 Fax: 307-268-3308 andmil@lakewood.org jpcavigelli@caspercollege.edu
Karen McMahon, Marketing Chair, Kat Neilson, Colorado EMK Museum Guide Chair, CO Tourism National Mining Hall of Fame and Museum
InfoZone News Museum @ Rawlings P.O. Box 981 Fay Bisbee, Scholarships Meghan McGinnes, Newsletter Editor National Museum of Wildlife Art Hiwan Homestead Museum P.O. Box 6825, 2820 Rungius Rd 4208 S. Timbervale Dr. Jackson, WY 83002 Evergreen, CO 80439 Phone: 307-732-5420 Phone:720-497-7650 toll-free: 800-313-9553, ext. 420 Fax: 303-670-7746 fbisbee@wildlifeart.org mmcginne@jeffco.us Sarah Ligocki, Wyoming Tourism Betsy Martinson, Annual Meeting Chair Wyoming State Museum 987 1/2 Lookout Mountain Rd 2301 Central Avenue Golden, CO 80401 Cheyenne, WY 82001 Phone: 303-526-0744 Phone: 307-777-7021 Fax: 303-526-0197 sligoc@state.wy.us Betsy.Martinson@ci.denver.co.us
Nathan Doerr, 2011 Program Chair, Rebecca Hunt, Academic Liaison Communications & Marketing Team Leader University of Colorado, Denver Sheridan County Museum Campus Box 182, P.O. Box 3364 850 Sibley Circle Denver, CO 80217-3364 Sheridan, WY 82801 Phone: 303-556-3442 Phone: 307-675-1150 rebecca.hunt@ucdenver.edu Fax: 307-675-1151 Lisa Fujita, Co-op Purchasing Chair Kerri Atter, Workshop Co-Chair (CO) Nicolaysen Art Museum & Discovery Center 2631 Curtis Street 400 E. Collins Drive Denver, CO 80205 Phone: 307-235-5247 Fax: 307-235-0923 Jan Postler, Local Arrangements Chair 2011 Animas Museum P.O. Box 3384 Durango, CO 970-259-2402 |
|
|
|
|
